Egypt voices concerns over escalating Yemeni crisis

CAIRO – 4 December 2017: Egypt expressed its deep concern about the serious escalation of the division and tension in Yemen that led to the execution of the former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh at the hands of Houthi militias on Monday, said Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Ahmed Abu Zeid, in a statement.

“These developments are another reflection of the gravity of the crisis experienced by Yemen in recent years as a result of a coup against legitimacy and negative external interferences,” Abu Zeid stated, noting that such interferences led to a vicious circle of violence paid for the Yemeni people.

Egypt called for putting an end to the crisis in accordance with the political solutions put forth in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2216, as well as the outcomes of the national dialogue and the Gulf initiative, Abu Zaid continued, warning against the consequences of the situation in Yemen.

Prominent leader of the General People’s Congress (GPC) Party confirmed earlier today the execution of Yemeni former President Ali Abdallah Saleh by the Houthi militias in Sanaa.

Fighters from Iran-backed militias led by the Houthis blew up the house of Yemeni ex-President in Sanaa on Monday, residents told Reuters.

Late Yemeni President Saleh announced on Sunday the dissolution of his partnership with the Houthi rebels amid heavy military clashes between his supporters and Iran-aligned Houthis in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

The death toll from clashes erupted in Yemen between Houthi militias and the GPC forces, loyal to the executed former President, rose to 200 on Sunday.